Sports, Grit and Growth – The New Language of Student Success!

Sports is not just a game..it is a journey of courage, discipline and determination. When we think of sports, our favourite sportspersons come to mind ,Sachin Tendulkar, Roger Federer, Milkha Singh, Dhyan Chand and the inspirational Paralympians. What makes them unforgettable is not just their talent but their passion. Sachin once said, “I want to stay on this pitch, not leave it.” This love for their craft made them legends.
Sports teaches lessons that textbooks cannot. Every fall, every rise, every try shapes a learner in ways no written lesson can. From the ancient Gurukul system to Maria Montessori and Savitribai Phule...every decision taken shows us that play has always been a powerful part of education. As Maria Montessori beautifully said,
“Play is the work of the child.”
This belief highlights how sports and learning go hand in hand.
When children play, they learn naturally. They touch, build, experiment, fail and try again. That “try again” is true sportsmanship.

Like Arjun focusing only on the eye of the bird or Lord Ram gaining courage from Guru Vashistha, sports builds confidence and sharpens the mind. Even today, Paralympic athletes prove that grit and guidance can overcome any limitation.
Sports also transforms learning. A child who struggles in a classroom may understand better on the playground—measuring the height of a basketball shot, counting scores, calculating the speed of a cricket ball. When learning becomes hands-on, meaningful and joyful, children begin to love what they are learning.

Just as every sportsperson has a unique technique, every child has a unique learning style. Some learn through labs, some through stories, some through drama, debates, libraries or experiments.

As John Dewy, the great educational reformer, puts it...
“Education is not preparation for life.... education is life itself.”
This life must include sports, movement, creativity and exploration.
Sports teaches teamwork, communication, social behavior and the courage to face challenges.

Our classrooms teach the same through activities, group work and competitions.
Mahatma Gandhi believed deeply in the value of physical labour and discipline. As he once said:
“True education must correspond to the surrounding circumstances or it is not education.”

Sports is that real-life circumstance where children learn resilience, courage and cooperation.
Whether in sports or education, the message is the same:
Fall. Learn. Rise. Move forward.
When sportsmanship enters education, children develop a growth mindset. They learn to take risks, solve problems, adapt to change and persevere. They become confident learners who can face both victories and failures with strength. As Swami Vivekananda strongly said,
“You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.”
This powerful line shows how deeply sports can build character and strength.
Together, sports and education create a powerful foundation—courage, learning, experimentation and experience. These qualities stay with children for life and help them shine brighter at every step.
Today sports, grit and growth have truly become the new language of student success—a language that shapes not just good learners, but strong, resilient, confident human beings who are ready for the world.